Brake equalizer



April 18 1l933 o.' M. I Ewis BRAKE EQUALIZER Filed Nov. l2, 1931 Z7 gmc/nto@ auen-is Patented Apr; le, i933 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE onvAL u. Ln'wrs, or. sn'nLToN, WAsHINGroN Bam neuamzna Application tiledl November 12,v 1931. Serial No. 574,631.

means of which the pressure on the brakes will be equalized in the same manner as brakes of the hydraulic type.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide equalizing means of this kind which will eliminate the necessity of frequently adjusting the brakes when they become slightly worn and one brake becomes worn toa greater degree than the other brakes.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in and in part be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a detail top plan view .of a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this invention mounted on a conventional vehicle chassis;

Fi ure 2 is an enlarged lon itudinal sectiona view partly in detail of t e equalizing device, andY Figure 3 is a sectional view partly in detail taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals yof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter F designates generally the frame or chassis of a vehicle of conventional construction having rear wheels 10 and 11 and front wheels v12 an 13. These wheels have the conventional brakes B associated therewith, which are actuated by means of a rock lever or crank 14. s

In order to equalize the ressure a plied by the pedal 15 on all of the brakes, I lgave provided an equalizing mechanism including a housing H constructed of opposed plates 16 which are held in spacedrelation to each other by means of bolts Vor rivets 17 or the like, and a spacer or sleeve 18 is disposed D about each bolt 17 and operates to space the platesn 16 apart. These plates 16 are provided with elongated slots or guide openings 19 which extend transversely of the length ofthe frame' F and disposed within these opposed slots 19 is positloned a carriage C which has movement laterally of the frame 55 This carriage C comprises a pair of pulleys 20 and 21, which are rotatably mounted on shafts 22 and 23 carried by opposed connecting bars or plates 24 and 25, which are disposed on the outside surfaces of the plates mi 16. These 'bars or plates 24 are of a Width greater than'tlie width of the slot or guide 19, so that the pulleys 20 and 21 cannot move transversely of the plates 16, but'will have longitudinal movement with respect thereto, 85-

which movement is transversely of the frame F. A second carriage C is disposed in spaced relation to the carriage C and is slidably mounted in a slot or guide passage 19'.

This carriage C has pulleys 20 and 21 rom tatably mounted therein in spaced relation to each other, the purpose for which will be hereinafter described.

A pair of pulleys 26 and 27 are rotatably mounted on shaft members 28 and 29 point intermediate the carria es C and C' and forwardly oset there rom; These pulleys 26 and 27 have trained3-thereover a cable 30 which is provided with a loo 31 engaging over the pulleys 21 and 21,.

brake pedall so that when the pedal 15 isv rocked on its mounting, the cable 30 will be pulled forwardly and the loop 31 will draw the inner pulleys 21 and 21 toward each 85 other, which action will move the carriages C and C inwardly of the housing H.

A cable 32v is trained over the pulley 2 0 and connected at one end to the rock lever 14 of levers 14 of the front and rear wheels13 and 95 10, respectively, will be rocked so as to 'actuate the brake. In like manner, the pulley 20 has a cable or flexible member 33 trained thereover, one end of this cable 33 being attached to tlie brake of the rear wheel 11 and 100 he op- 8 Y posite end of the cable 30 is attached yto the als the other 'end attached to the brake of tb front wheel 12, which wheels 11 and 12 are dislposed on the same side of the vehicle.

t will be noted, from the foregoindg, that when the loop 31 is drawn forwar ly be tween the idling pulleys 26 and 27, the carriages C and C will be ulled toward each other and that if one bra e is not as tight asanother brake, on the same side of the vehicle, the looser brake will be drawn to a eater extent than the tighter brake, therey equalizing the ressure a plied to these brakes by means o the eda 15.

In the same manner, i the two brakes on one side of the vehicle are tighter than the two brakes on the opposite side of the vehicle, the carriage associated with the tighter brakes will move slower toward the center of the housing H than the opposed carria e,

sa1d housin having slots said pair of ulle s, 1n a pair o sha s, a pulley on each s aft,

thereof to s id ably receive the ends of said shafts, and connecting bars positioned one on each side of the housing and secured to in opposite sides each carriage com risl the shafts for holding the shaftsin spaced relation'to each other..

In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my signature. y

, ORVAL LEW'IS.y

thereby equalizing the pressure a lied y the edal 15 on all four brakes. e housing may be of either the closed or open t e, that is, the marginal edges may be c osed so as to revent t e dirt or other foreign articles rom entering the housing and inter ering with the free movement of the arts disposed therein. The housing H may positioned at any desired point. between the ends of the frame F of the vehicle, but is preferably positioned at a point slightly rearwardly of the brake pedal 15, but I, of course, do not wish to belimited to any particular position for this housing H, as 1t may be ositioned at any other point within the limits of the frame F.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes an modifica- I tions being restricted only by the scope of the followlng claims.

What is claimed is 1. A brake equalizing means comprising cables conected one to each selected pair 0 the brakes of a vehicle, a carriage for each cable, a housing within which the carria s are slidable, and a carria e en aging ca le connected to the brake pedal o the vehicle, each carriage comprisinga pair of shafts, a pulley on each shaft, said housing having slots in opposite sides thereof to slidably receive the ends `of said shafts, and connecting bars positioned one on each side of the housing and secured to the shafts for holding the shafts in spaced relation to each other.

2. A brake equalizing means comprising cables connected one to each selected pair of the brakes of a vehicle, a carriage for each cable, a housing within which the carria es are slidable, a pair of pulleys, means or mounting the pulleys in spaced relation to each other for rotation within the housing, 85 and a carriage engaging cable trained over 

